A Kiss Without Commitment
by Burning Touch
Summary: After X3’s ending, following the path where Rogue did not take the cure. Of course when a new student is present he can’t help but right some wrongs. Romy Songfic for Daniel Bedingfield’s 'A Kiss Without Commitment'.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own the X-men or Fox in any way, much to my chagrin. I don't own Daniel Bedingfield and I certainly don't have the creativity or cash to own the song 'A Kiss Without Commitment'. So all I have is these little words.

* * *

_A kiss without commitment's  
Like a flower without the rain  
It only leads to pain  
And it fills my heart with emptiness  
Your touch without commitment's  
Like a calm before the storm  
The tears are starting to form in my eyes  
_

He didn't know how much more of this he could take.

The sight before him shouldn't in normal circumstances enable this sort of reaction from him. Fact being that he had seen _several_ scenes such as this with no reaction only increased his ire. Yet somehow this time was different. _She_ was different.

It wasn't a secret that he had a certain addiction to women. And in truth he'd never heard a complaint before from anyone he relayed his affections on. Not that he really expected to hear one, he always made sure when he left the girl would feel like a queen. He was raised to be a gentleman after all.

_She_ had rebutted every one of his advances with her claim that she had a boyfriend, if you could call him that. The boy had that Boy Scout appeal to him which made most girls flock to him. The blond hair and blue eyes only helped out. He was considered cool by the other students, an _Ice Man. _They couldn't be farther from the truth. The youth was despicable and didn't deserve her in the least.

But, at least she had settled to become _his_ friend, a confidant on more than one occasion when either one of them felt like they needed to talk. They had numerous traits in common that caused them to relish the time they spent together. She got along better with _him_ than she ever did with the _Ice Prick_. Not that it surprised him; she had too much passion in her to actually be tamed by that kid for very long.

His knuckles turned white as he watched them sit close to one another, none of her skin showing lovingly mindful for his safety and miles of his showing in ignorance. Of course it wasn't just the two of them. Their friends were with them all happy. He'd been invited to join them but he could not tolerate the lot of them, except for her. And he would occasionally tag along just to be near her.

She was laughing; he must have said something funny as others were laughing too. Only hers sounded heavenly and sweet compared to the rest who's only grated his ears. He loved her laugh.

From his vantage he could see her clearly and she could see him if she chose to look. She could see the tears of laughter in her eyes that he was so familiar with. He caused them to glisten over several times either in laughter or in sorrow. Mostly he kept the tears to laughter. _Ice Man_ had caused much of the sorrow. Remy had almost punched him once for that very reason. She'd stopped him beforehand though.

His gaze never wavered from her face leaving the papers before him untouched. If anything it intensified once her chin lifted slightly and her green eyes met his own crimson ones.

It was then that he could see all of the joy and laughter in Rogue's eyes. Along with a glint of something that they only held when she would look at him.

Their gazes were still locked. It felt as if he was seeing inside of her and she the same to him. Neither of them noticed the noise around them. None of her friends had grasped onto her recent wandering. She blinked slowly in a way that was both shy and teasing. She knew how much he loved her eyes. It was the same she felt about his. In response he reached into his trench's pocket and pulled out a sleek pair of sunglasses, settling them along his noses bridge.

Her eyes crinkled as her mouth turned south at the corners. He could still look upon her eyes but she could no longer return the favor. He leaned against the chairs wooden back to see what she would do in retaliation. He never found out.

Rogue's attention was pulled from him by _Ice Man_. She spared him another glance before absorbing herself into the conversation again. Already he could tell the smile gracing her lips was a mask, a clever deception that her _friends_ never seemed to realize. And yet he always did.

Slowly she stood from her seat with some mention to the time and having to get ready for something in a few minutes. The others moaned but held cheery smiles nonetheless. She leaned down and placed a kiss on her boyfriend's lips and he took his time releasing her hand. She walked out with a side glance in his direction before disappearing entirely.

He figured he would wait a few more minutes before leaving the room himself having nothing else to occupy him anymore without her presence. Although the room was still lit with the sun's light it no longer held any sunshine for him. He looked at the scattered papers with a brief thought that he might actually complete the work. A smirk spread across his face at the very idea.

The expression melted away once his caught movement from behind a bookcase. He could see short brunette hair along with a healthy dosage of pink through the gaps in the shelves. She, who he was certain was none other than Kitty Pryde, looked as if she was being pressed up against the bookcase. And then a manly hand went around to the back of her head, fitting itself inside of her hair.

Remy had to grip the table to suppress the onslaught of lust and desire that assaulted his senses. He made sure his shields were intact before looking back towards the scene. He had a suspicion exactly who was with her on the other side of the shelves in which twin sets of emotions were being projected. Dutifully pretending to work he kept his senses open for any sign of ceasing.

It finally came when Kitty walked out with a book in hands. Trailing her was a very satisfied looking Bobby Drake. _Ice Prick_, Remy thought venomously. His grip on the table tightened with the swelling present on both of their lips. They sat back down at the table and she put her hand on his arm with a smile. "Thanks for helping me find this book Bobby," she whispered in a low voice.

He watched in anger as they flirted lightly with one another, finding subtle ways to keep touching one another. It disgusted him. She was Rogue's best friend. He was her boyfriend. And yet here they were blatantly betraying the vibrant Southerner. And he never felt a shred of guilt from either of them.

Gathering his papers he walked out from the room, having seen enough. He would have been happy to leave beforehand and to not witness what he had. It only strengthened him though, and set his resolve in stone. If he had been a lesser man the sight would have brought tears, instead it wrought anger.

* * *

_When I kissed you I was curious  
The child that I was  
I never realized I would love you so  
And in the magic of the moment  
I was swept to the side  
And I saw your heart  
So small and tender_

He caught her on the roof one night.

She had often told him that she liked to come up there to think. He had done the same on many instances, finding reprieve in the heights solitude. It was one of the many reasons their friendship was so strong.

This night however she was holding herself tightly and rocking back and forth. As he padded closer he saw the tracks of tears along her cheeks. His ears picked up the almost silent sounds she was emitting from her luscious lips. It made his heart wrench.

Without so much as a sound he sat next to her and gathered her into his arms. She inhaled his scent, knowing it was him the instant his arms crossed her body. No one else came on the roof, especially not at night.

She found her thin nightgown not enough to block the chill that the night presented. She shivered as another breeze passed over her skin. Sniffling she lifted herself to sit atop his lap as she'd done at other times. He never minded, and he was always so warm. She snuggled herself closer towards him, finding comfort in the sensation of heavy leather against her body and his scent surrounding her. Feeling his warmth against her cold skin she let out the sobs that had been raking her body.

Wordlessly he held her, stroking her hair and whispering things in her ear in French. In her state she most likely wouldn't understand what he said, and that was probably for the best. But in those few moments he was allotted a glance at her heart and the small and tender state that it was presently. All of the trials she'd experienced within her life had caused it to become that way.

It was sometime in the morning when she quieted down again and was content just to clutch at his shirt. He didn't mind the wet spot she'd left there. The sun was a long way in coming and the moon held sway over the darkness. Looking down upon her he could only stare in wonder. Her auburn hair was shining with its white streaks running parallel to her face. It didn't matter the mussed it currently modeled. Her eyes gleamed from the moons pale influence. Its light made her skin look softer than a cloud could ever hope to be.

She looked so sad and so lonely. He wanted to do something to make her see that the world wasn't out to get her and there were still things to be happy about. He'd no doubt claim in the magic of the moment that persuaded his actions.

He leaned his head down and caught her lips with his own. It was in that instant that he could feel a warm sensation flood his veins. It was like he was on fire in the best possible way. Slowly her eyes closed to cage the emeralds they held. She leaned back into him more and a tentative hand found its way into his hair. His arms drifted from her shoulders to find her hips.

It was most likely that action and the need for oxygen that caused her to pull away. She had a glazed, but pleasant expression on her face. She was staring straight at his lips as if thinking of capturing them again. Another breeze drifted by and her demeanor changed.

She pushed herself away from him, stumbling over her limbs and crawling sluggishly backwards. She tugged lightly on her beautiful hair, passing her anguish onto it. She looked up into his smoldering eyes again and quickly tried to get her feet underneath her. She fell. And he was beside her in a flash, catching her before she hit the shingles. She worked her way from his grip, offering him a view of her troubled eyes. He didn't resist after seeing them.

She ran as fast as her feet would allow her. She stumbled several times. He had to suppress the urge to help her. But it was clear she didn't want to be near him presently. She looked back once more with a few tears leaking down the familiar tracks on her cheeks before disappearing from the roof entirely.

He could only watch her leave. It left him hollow inside.

It was his fault after all, him and his damned curiosity. He had wondered if kissing her then would make her forget about her troubles. He had wondered if it would take away the feelings he'd hidden behind his friendship for her. He had wondered if she would return any of the feelings. He had wondered what she tasted like. And now he knew the answers.

He'd made her forget her woes but brought on a whole set of new ones. He had caused the simmering emotions to bubble to the surface within himself but leaving hers in torment. And he'd found out that she tasted sweet. Like honey or a crisp apple. It was the sort of taste that one couldn't hope to ever get out of their mouth and would always want more to sate the growing addiction. In other words it was trouble.

And thinking back to the way he felt while she was small and vulnerable within his arms, and how he'd had a sudden surge of protection for her, he knew that he was in trouble. A person didn't feel that fiercely for even their best friend. This was something more.

He never thought he'd love her this much.

* * *

_Physical is fine  
But I cannot avoid the pain  
I'm like an express train  
As I surge towards the mountains  
I am certain as I'm livin'  
I cannot do this again  
We're much too greater friends  
To play games_

She'd avoided him for a few days. And truthfully he couldn't blame her.

Finally she had decided on carrying on with how things had normally been. Dismissing the whole thing as just a mistake. He could play along those rules, but he'd be lying if he said it didn't hurt. Not his manly pride, he didn't seem to care much about that around her, no doubt a result from their colorful banter, but it hurt him inside. Hurt him far greater than most could hope to achieve.

Their friendship had set numerous things in motion. One, being Bobby's jealousy to which Remy would only scoff at. Another was sessions in the Danger Room. To improve their skills it had been required of everyone to choose a partner to have specific sessions with at different times during the week. Logan and Ororo had warned them that they should choose according to skills not personal preference. They had even made a list of who was most compatible with whom.

Naturally the two southerners were paired together. Both showed a ferocity and passion with their fighting prowess that was unmatched among the younger residents. So they had smirked at one another and agreed to be partners. Bobby had been furious and Remy had the distinct pleasure of watching Rogue tell him off.

It had been a highlight of his day.

Another session was scheduled for today though. He couldn't help but wonder if what happened would affect her at all in the Danger Room. Deep down part of him hoped it would, but the more rational part dismissed the thought, not wanting her to be harmed in any way.

He swept through the metallic doors and into the large uninviting dome. The black leather of his suit clung to him with the familiar weight of his prized trench settled around his shoulders. She had once joked that he might not be able to fight without his trench. He had replied saying that it helped to keep him aware of his surroundings so that he didn't let any harm come to it. That had coaxed a laugh from her.

Barely in the room a minute before the doors swung open again and he was met with a sight that always took his breath away. Rogue walked in clad in her own uniform of black leather his dark green trimmings along the sides. Her belt bore a green 'X' as it swung lazily from her hips. Her hair was drawn out of her face to not provide any distraction and it left her face open. Letting him see her gorgeous eyes.

"S' about time y' showed up _chére_," he drawled while a smirk slid across his features.

It drew a smirk of her own. "Cajun, Ah saw you get here a minute ago. Don't even deny it."

He raised his hands in mock defeat. "All right, I admit, m' guilty as charged. So, what's m' punishment?" His eyebrows were raised in question while his face held a seductive and suggestive expression.

She realized it every time he would talk to her that he always chose the first person. Ordinarily his speech was in the third person, even with Ororo, who he had known before the rest of them. Rogue was used to the way that he would always flirt with her though. "Ah think a session should suffice."

"Dat's more den I was hoping for," he grinned. He told the computer the session that they would be running for the next hour.

The landscape turned into a typical city with its apartment buildings, skyscrapers and office buildings surrounded by several assortments of small businesses. Rogue looked over at him, confused when nothing came straight for them. "What's the aim Gambit?"

"Stealth," he replied cheekily while slipping on a pair on sunglasses. "Dere's a group of children being held by de FOH. We get t' play hero."

She snorted. "Figures ya'd choose this one."

He stopped walking. "What's dat supposed to mean?"

"It means," she said picking up a piece of metal piping which she promptly threw at Remy. He ducked but didn't hear it clatter to the street. Instead it hit a man that had been coming up behind him squarely in the head. "that yo're predictable."

"But y' love dis Cajun f' it _non_?"

Rogue stopped walking towards the city to look back at him. He almost forgot to listen to her, just seeing her outlined by all of the lights. It made her seem as if she was on fire. Slowly he looked back up to her face again and found she had a secretive smile across her lips. "Maybe Ah do, and maybe Ah don't," she continued walking away from him to find their destination.

Grinning he set to follow her. They were making progress.

He was a little disappointed to find her already half way into a building. They made their way to the roof, to locate the building they would find the children inside. Spotting the one they thought it was Rogue made her way back to the roof's door only to find it locked. Remy walked over and tried the door himself, finding no lock on the outside that he could pick. "Y' know I could blow off de handle."

"That'd attract attention we don't want," she pointed out rationally. Scanning the perimeter of the roof she noticed a rusted fire escape protruding from one side. "Come on," she took hold of his jacket lapels to drag him closer to the ladder.

"Was de draggin' necessary _chére_?" He straightened out his duster again as she started to descend the metallic ladder.

Her head peered over the side again with a smirk. "No, but it was fun," Then she kept her original course downwards. He followed a few rungs above her so that he wouldn't crush any of her fingers at any point should she slow down.

They were near the bottom when he heard a creak and then her scream. A scream of pure terror as her footing failed and the rung she clung to broke beneath her fingers. She was left in the air to fall. He could see the horror in her eyes as he launched himself vertically. His hand was grasping for a rung while the other was extended down towards hers. He felt his exposed fingers catch the leather that surrounded hers. At the same time his free hand closed around metal and his shoulder jerked out of his socket painfully. But they were both alive and clinging to the last rung on the end of the ladder perhaps twenty feet above the unforgiving ground.

"_Chére_, y' got t' try an' hang on more," he instructed with a soft voice. He was currently supporting her with his one arm and both of them with the other. The problem was that he wasn't quite sure how long he could do both.

His voice seemed to cause her to react though, as she brought herself up to be face to face with him. Her arms went around his neck tightly. She tried to figure out how to be helpful with her legs, but he wound one of his around both of hers. His arm went to secure her lower back and keep her close to him. From the proximity he could feel her trembling against him as she clung to him.

"S' gonna be alright, I got y'," Remy whispered into her hair, trying to calm her nerves. Once he felt that she was calmer he started to pull them up to the ladder again. It was harder than he thought and his muscles burned with the effort. Rust started to fall down into his face from where his hand was scraping the metal.

And then he heard another groan. He looked down at Rogue, it wasn't from her. Looking back up at the rung he had time enough to see it break beneath his hand. They were falling again. Quickly he angled his body so that he'd land on the ground first to blunt the force for her.

Asphalt hit his back with a resounding crack. His shoulder screamed in outrage from further abuse, while his hand tingled as something warm ran down its crevices. Apparently the rusted metal had cut him. But was Rogue breathing erratically above him, their chests rising and falling at the same rate.

He started to see black spots in his vision, and he shook them out angrily to make sure that she was unharmed. He tried to raise the arm that was still around her back and found it unresponsive. It was the same with the other and even his legs. This would be interesting.

Rogue raised her head and looked to his hand, which was bleeding freely. Then she dropped her gaze to his head which already held several scratches. Her fingers emerged from beneath his neck to touch his face; they were void of her leather gloves. But something was still under his neck, most likely the gloves. His eyes flicked to her hands again and saw the start of bruising on her pale skin. He let out a ragged breath, finding it harder to obtain oxygen. He wasn't sure if it was from the fall or the feeling of her fingers on his cheek.

Spots swarmed his vision again. But it didn't bother him; he knew she was all right now. He managed a small smirk before closing his eyes entirely. The physical pain was fine, as long as she was alive and breathing. He felt someone weakly shake his shoulders, sending another spasm through his body. He welcomed the darkness though.

He felt cool hands on his face. And then a desperate plea, "Remy! Remy, please wake up!" before the darkness engulfed him fully.

* * *

_When I kissed you it was  
Everything I dreamed it would be  
But I never dreamed it would mean so much to me  
And our friendship is too valuable to carelessly lose  
So today I choose  
To really love you_

He woke in the blinding white of the med bay to feel the aches reverberating throughout his whole body.

Not only could he not move several body parts but his one hand was bandaged and the opposite arm was in a sling across his chest. It took several seconds for him to get some of his fingers to start moving. He was glad that pillows propped him in a sitting position so that he didn't have to do that himself. Trying to move a leg turned out to be more difficult as a weight was draped across both of them. His gaze slid downwards to glimpse Rogue sleeping with one arm extended over his legs and the other tucked beneath her head.

She was in sweats and a shirt he had given her as a present. She claimed it was one of her favorites. Her hair was in a state that she would have never allowed it to be. Under her eyes dark circles presented themselves and he thought he might be able to see tears present. He was about to reach and brush a piece of hair from her chest when coughs racked his body. He tried to stifle them the best he could, which proved useless.

Her head shot up instantly at the sound from both his coughs and the tiny tinkling from one of the machines he was no doubt hooked up to. Her copper curls bounced as she looked around the room finally settling on him. She blinked into his red eyes. Her hands came up to rub at her own eyes before gazing at him again to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Remy?" her voice sounded hoarse and raw as if she'd spent some amount of time crying.

"In de flesh," he managed a smirk, with only a small grimace as it strained one of his cuts along his face.

Immediately Rogue launched herself onto the bed to embrace him. Her arms wound around his abdomen tightly as she buried her head in the crook of his neck. Slowly he managed to bring his bandaged hand to her back. He was trying not to groan in pain as she had landed on his bad arm and several bruises. He heard her crying softly though and his own pain was forgotten.

"Oh Gawd," she murmured into his neck, her breath hot against his skin there. "Ah thought…Ah thought you were dead."

"Shh…s' alright _chére_, I told y' tons o' times dere ain't nothin' no one can do t' keep me from you," Remy whispered into her hair, laying a small kiss on the tangled mass. He inhaled the smell of her hair and let the sweet aroma wash over him.

"Ah know, Ah was just so scared," she shifted so that she moved off to the side of the bed and directly off his chest. He instantly missed her warmth and her weight despite the pain it had caused. She was content to let him place his arm around her waist and just lie in the bed with him making sure that he would never leave her again.

He had never felt such a strong bond with anyone else. When he had arrived at the institute he had not expected to become friends with her let alone develop feelings. He could honestly say he never thought she would mean _this_ much to him. But she did, and he would do anything to keep her alive and happy.

* * *

_Jessica your heart is  
Like a newly budding rose  
Expanding as she grows  
Your petals have been bruised  
But you have so much love to give  
And it's so beautiful to see  
You're beautiful to me, my friend_

He couldn't take it any more. Her naivety was killing him.

He had taken her by the hand and led her straight towards the library without stopping. The whole way she pelted him with questions and mild innuendo that he merely shrugged off. He couldn't be distracted from his task.

It was a task after all. He _really_ didn't want to do this, but he couldn't stand by and let her get hurt later on. She needed to know the truth, to suffer the hurt now and start the healing. It was for the best. At least that's what he kept telling himself.

He'd settled them down against one of the bookshelves near his targets favorite haunt. Seeing her green eyes confused and wide he had wanted to give in, to tell her everything, to explain. But he couldn't bring himself to do as such. He knew she'd deny it; she had to see it with her own two eyes to believe the horrible truth in it all.

It wasn't fifteen minutes later that a couple came. The girl was giggling and the boy was grinning from ear to ear. Rogue had opened her mouth and he was forced to cover it with his hand to stifle any sound she might make. He brought a finger to his mouth while his eyes locked with hers before pointing towards the scene before them.

The couple had moved to the confines of the shelves but, was still visible from their vantage. The giggling had persisted softly and had taken on a more passionate tone. They leaned towards one another and their lips met with a sickening familiarity.

Rogue was glued to her spot, her eyes trained on the sight before her. She watched in horror as _her_ boyfriend ran his hands lightly under the hem of _her_ best friend's shirt. In response _her_ best friend moaned. The sound was enough to make Rogue sick to her stomach.

He felt like an asshole. Felt guilt ripping him apart for having to show her this sight. But it was necessary for her to realize the lies that surrounded her. He still didn't get the couples fervor for one another. He thought the library was part of it, the thrill of maybe getting caught, of breaking some unspoken rule. Another was the thrill of deception of one of the sweetest souls on the planet. It made his blood boil.

Slowly she straightened to her full height and stalked around the corner of the shelf before promptly clearing her throat. The couple sprang apart like children caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Of course the situation they were presented with now was in much the same regards.

"Rogue…" Kitty started to formulate some sort of excuse.

"Shut up," Rogue ground out in a calm manner although anger exuded from her entire being.

Kitty looked as if she'd been struck and put her hands on her hips. "You don't have to be such a bitch."

Rogue laughed. Not her usual crystalline laughter but a harsh bark of disbelief. "Ah have every right Katherine. Especially when Ah find mah boyfriend and mah best friend fooling around with what seems to be familiarity."

"Baby, it's not like that," Bobby appealed to her soft hearted nature hoping she'd be rational. He even threw in a little sincerity into his voice and looked at her with something close to adorable baby blues.

If anything it just hardened her more. "You know the only reason Ah was keeping this relationship going was for you. Ah'm almost glad it can end this way. So have a nice life Robert and Katherine. And stay the fuck away from me or you'll be sorry."

It was uncanny to hear her Southern accent fall away with her steely tone. Along with the fact that she had used their proper names, like that of an acquaintance or someone who you would never see again after that one meeting. Often times when Rogue was angry, her accent would thicken instead of thinning and she would scream and shout at the cause of her anger. This time she was cold and calm. It was terrifying.

She strode out of the library with her head held high. Remy was tempted to follow but he wanted to have his own words with the _Ice Prick_. He walked around the corner of the shelf much in the same way that Rogue had.

Upon seeing him Bobby let out a growl. "You. I should have known."

"Who did y' really expect?" Remy challenged the red of his irises flashing underneath the cover of his shades.

"You're going to pay for telling her."

"Dat's where yo're wrong _Ice Prick_," he stalked closer to the teen, like a predator to their prey. "S' y' dat's gonna be sorry f'r hurtin' her like dat," his eyes were burning at this point. He drew back his fist and let the energy release into the smaller boy's soft flesh. The girl close to him screamed. Relishing in the way he heard bone crack in his nose and blood spurt out, he took the opportunity to release another punch into his gut, and then a final up to his chin, sending his teeth knocking together painfully. His shell of a body fell backwards with blood still spurting from his nose and now also from his mouth to drizzle down on his clean shirt. The girl had gone to her knees next to him, putting his head in her lap and trying to stop the bleeding while talking a mile a minute.

Remy just looked down on the pitiful boy, fixing him with a glare. "Y' go near Rogue again and dis'll seem like a pleasant memory," he sauntered out of the room without a further glance at the pair.

* * *

_And when I kissed you  
I believed it wouldn't get in the way  
I want to stay your friend and have it fine  
And I'm hoping that our God can make great things of our lives  
His love survives  
The greatest struggles_

She hadn't talked to him since then. And it was making him go stir crazy. He felt like he was suffering from withdrawal without her sunny presence. Of course she hadn't been sunny for a while now. She'd been cold and unfeeling, letting her heart harden from being further hurt. It was enough to make him want to shake some sense into her.

That's what found him at her door this late in the evening. He needed to talk to her, and the best time to do it was when everyone else was asleep. Less witnesses that way. He knocked on the wood standing over her threshold before hearing her feet pad across the woodened surface on the other side. The brass handle turned and the door slid open enough for her to see her visitor. Upon reorganization she attempted to close the door again but his foot was wedged tightly between it and the frame.

She let him push his way into her room and simply crossed her arms over her chest while looking at him with irritation written across her features. "What do ya want Remy?"

He peered at her for a moment before closing the door silently behind him. His hands went up to his sunglasses, compacting them to fit inside the pocket within his trench. It was an unspoken rule with the two of them. "Why y' been avoidin' me _chére_?"

"You damn well know why," she retorted her irritation not slipping an inch, even with the removal of his eye protection. She loved his eyes, she always had. They were perfect for him, body, mind and soul they fit him.

He moved closer to her and she stayed rooted to her spot. "Dat's not a good enough excuse," his eyes had started flaring taking the crimson and igniting it in brighter hues.

Her eyes narrowed as she fixed him with a glare that would normally made people get out of her way immediately instead of facing her wrath. He'd never been afraid of her though. In the same way that she had never been afraid of his eyes. "It's good enough for everyone else."

"M' not everybody else," he replied his voice firm to show her that he wasn't going to back down.

"Maybe you should try Remy, then people wouldn't be so afraid of _Le Diable Blanc_," her voice held a malice that should never come from her sweet southern lips. Her green eyes still held that hardened glare.

He didn't show any emotion of hurt she was hoping for from her barb at his weak point; his eyes. "Careful _chére_, an attitude like dat and people are gonna believe de untouchable girl is unreachable," his eyes were still flaring, getting brighter with the second. He watched her start to falter slightly at his words. "And den, it'll be too late f'r dem t' realize dat she's not unbreakable."

Her mask cracked around her. Her shoulders slackened and her eyes lost their hard exterior. Her glare disappeared to be followed by sorrow. A tear leaked down her pale skin. "Damnit Remy, why can't ya leave me alone like the rest of them?"

He walked closer so that he was a hairs breath away. Close enough that she could feel the heat being emanated from his body. His hand rose to brush away the tear from her cheek. She relished in the feel of his skin against hers. "Because I don't want t' lose y'," he whispered so softly that she barely heard it.

Her brain was in overdrive. Was he really touching her? And still living from the experience? It was true she was more comfortable around Remy than anyone else at the institute. That was partially because he didn't fear her mutation and also because he made sure to wear enough clothing to keep his skin covered so she could enjoy a few minutes free of the cotton's bonds. But then, hadn't she touched him in the Danger Room? Right after they had fallen. She'd probably been too preoccupied with worrying over him to realize it until now. Until they touched again.

"How are ya touchin' me?" Rogue asked her voice pitching lower than she realized it would.

"M' not really sure. I t'ink s' got something t' do wit' m' powers," he didn't seem to mind though as his other arm went to rest on her waist.

She couldn't help but gulp. "Remy…"

"Yeah _chére_?" he was looking down straight into her eye, unblinking and unwavering. There wasn't even a hint of his usual arrogant smirk.

"Ah…Ah think, Ah mean," _Gawd_,this was harder than she thought. She lifted her gaze from their present residence on her feet to look into his eyes. They no longer flickered, they burned. It was all the encouragement she needed. "Ah think Ah'm fallin' in love with ya."

A slow smile spread across his face. If it had been any other time she would have knocked it off his face. "Good."

"Good?" She practically chocked on the one word. It felt sticky and sickly within her throat.

"Good," he reaffirmed and she could feel her stomach sink. "I don't t'ink I could deal wit' de unrequited love t'ing."

Her eyes widened. "You mean…"

In answer to her question he leaned down and let his actions speak for him. Their lips met like they were magnetically attracted to one another. His hands found their way to her waist to pull her closer. She truly didn't mind that it meant that her hands were trapped, splayed across the hard contours of his chest. Not to mention the way his warmth was enveloping her nightgown clad body, driving the chill away from more than just her skin. He sucked on her lower lip gently bring it into his own mouth. When his tongue pressed lightly against her lips she let her boldness streak through by granting his access.

He moan he received from her was confirming any doubts he might have had. His hands ran lightly down her sides, letting her feel his heated touch through the thin material of her nightgown. She pulled closer to him, pressing herself as much as she could in a desperate plea to be closer. He complied. Eventually thought the need for oxygen overtook their desire, causing them to break apart, albeit momentarily.

"Remy," Rogue murmured while her head was against his chest. Her breath danced across his collarbone making him want to kiss her all over again.

"Hmm…"

"Ah want you to promise me something," her voice still remained husky. Looking down at her he could clearly see the swell of her lips. It was so different from the last kiss he had shared with her.

Staring down at her he grinned. "What would dat be _chére_?"

"That no matter what, we'll always remain friends."

Her eyes looked up to search his own. "Promise," he whispered before capturing her lips again.

_Jessica your gate is open, nothing in your way  
A friend you'll always stay to me  
Whatever else we're gonna be  
A friend  
You'll always stay to me_

* * *

**Author's Note: **So this is my first attempt at a Songfic. I actually have several ideas regarding songs and Remy and Rogue. There is a portion near the end that isn't my original idea. Its from a fairly popular story, can you spot it? So if you like this leave a little note and then I'll be encouraged to post them. Love it? Hate it? Think I should just stick to updating my other stories? Or do you think my plot bunnies should be fired? Either way, message and I'll pass it along. _  
_


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